Bars
Hotel Maria Cristina, a unique opportunity
Today we walk into the most emblematic hotel in the city. Opened in 1912, during the city’s golden period or belle epoque, the building has the same name as the queen who used to spend the summer holidays in our city. Nowadays, Hotel Maria Cristina is well known for being the accommodation of the stars during the film festival, which, added to its luxurious label, makes the prices quite unaffordable. Except this year, when “thanks” to the pandemic, we as locals have been able to access as guests for a more reasonable price. Why do we recommend it? Very simple, because if you can afford it, the experience is impressive.…
The bars that overcharged tourists
A few days ago our main local newspaper published an article that caused some stir. The text exposed the foul play of some bars in the Old Town, discovered after sending two couples, one local and the other one foreign, making the same orders and then comparing each paying tickets. Well, and what happened? The poor guiris had, in five bars from the seven chosen, some small extras added that the locals hadn’t have to pay. Among them, they had to pay for a beer instead for the zurito that was really poured (small size beer), or paying for a beer like if it was a pint. The same happened…
1st Congress of Pintxos and Tapas at Gastronomika
Within all the activities arranged during the San Sebastián Gastronomika Congress, this year a congress dedicated exclusively to the pintxos and tapas’ world has been included for the first time. According to Roser Torras, director of Gastronomika, this event, in addition to deserving its location in the pintxo capital as San Sebastian is, was already necessary in order to give more value to the bar sector, an emergent business that already requires its own space inside our gastronomy. Thus, some professionals took the stage to share technique and knowledge with the attendees. We enjoyed watching Paul Arrillaga (Zazpi bar) preparing some of their most famous pintxos, Enrique Fleischmann (Txoko Getaria)…
Convent Garden’s El Patio: a terrace in the city center
Convent Garden is a multispace with a restaurant, a hostel, a roof terrace, a crypt and the patio. Today we’ll speak about its inner courtyard called Patio. Opened about four years ago, we loved from the beginning just for the naming, a reference to the classic London area but also to its past as a convent of nuns -still remains a certain… pious feeling- until the last decade. Perfect for a drink after the workday or before dinner as a meeting point. Particularly suitable for summer but thanks to its stoves and awnings we can also have terrace days during the rest of the year. Closing hours at 10pm on weekdays and at 11pm on the weekend. Designed as…
Bars where to enjoy the Jazzaldia Festival
End of July and here we have the Jazzaldia, the biggest jazz festival in Spain and therefore one of the most important events of the year in the city. During the next five days, we’ll have dozens of jazz (and non-jazz) bands in different locations of the city center. Trinity Square and the big stage on the Zurriola beach are the clear highlights, the first one for the most wanted bands (tickets are usually sold out weeks before) and the second one hosts a huge audience with gigs for free. There’s other options as well in some special places as the Náutico, suitable to enjoy DJ sessions with its amazing bay view. Another good option, less massified, is to…
Mimo Bar at San Martin Market
Mimo is a company who offers products around gastronomy, either offering cooking courses or arranging typical basque outings to sidrerías (cider factories and restaurants), pintxo-tours, etc. Ironically, its founder is not Basque but English, so all of this is mainly oriented for the English-speaking public. His latest bet, so far in the testing phase is a pop up bar on the street floor of the San Martin Market, adopting the model of other food markets – San Miguel in Madrid, La Boquería in Barcelona or Borough Market in London – in other words, classic markets refurbished and now offering Gourmet and seasonal products. The menu varies weekly, sometimes even daily, always depending on the products available in…
A classic in the pintxos world: Bodega Donostiarra bar
Peña and Goñi street has become recently in a pedestrian street full of trendy bars and restaurants. But, long time ago, when this area was less chic, the bar Bodega Donostiarra already prepared amazing pintxos for the working class. Now it’s a well considered bar where pilgrims arrive everyday looking for a great cuisine with decades of experience offering nice quality ingredients and tasty flavours. The offer includes portions, salads and sandwiches but the highlights are the three prizewinners pintxos, served by dozens at peak times: Indurain, a version of the classic Gilda with 5 piparras (like chilis) one for each of its won Tours, the Completo, a small and tasty…
Nice pintxos in the city center at Zazpi bar
The Zazpi bar is well located in the pedestrian San Marcial street. It’s a bar daily frequented by workers from the sorrounding area and, lately, also by people scaping from the massified Parte Vieja. Its interior may seem not very glamorous, but don’t trust in appearances, this bar has a fabulous kitchen which worths to be visited. The offer in pintxos is… pure luxury, haute cuisine in a small size format. The staff also seems to be motivated and has knowledge about the product list or possible recommendations about wines. In short, it’s a place where invest wisely the budget when going out on a pintxos tour. Friendly prices in the…
Bars in Amara: El Once de Sancho el Sabio
Opened in December, this small bar is a good choice for locals and people lodged in Amara. In a nearby future, this zone will be refurbished to expand the terrace area, creating a nice boulevard. Meanwhile, El Once serves and suggests good wines as well as a small menu with portions and pintxos. The kitchen is simple and occasionally serves canned products, but always good quality and served with toasted and prepared with oil bread. When to go: From the coffee hour in the morning, to noon with a classic paella at the terrace in case of good weather, until the wine time in the evening. So, make a stop here…
Pintxo tour at Casa Vergara
Located next to Santa María’s church, in the heart of the pintxo’s golden mile, Casa Vergara reopens its doors with new owners and a new identity. With a nice decoration and a renewed impetus, the place is ideal to have a drink with a pintxo, either going on a pintxos route or before lunch or dinner, as an aperitif. The offer focuses around cod, main star at our ports and flagship of our typical cuisine, so we can find it cooked in multiple ways. Quality is… let’s say medium range, but prices tend to high range… get your own conclusions. Tip: Better choose those optimal detected pintxos or ask for…
